


Bonds in Blood

by PrismFanatic



Series: Hidden Secrets [8]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Blood Magic, Gen, M/M, Male Slash, Rituals
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-10-31
Updated: 2013-10-31
Packaged: 2017-12-31 00:42:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,626
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1025318
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrismFanatic/pseuds/PrismFanatic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Their coven comes together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bonds in Blood

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Harry Potter or any characters associated with the books or movies. This is simply a work of fan fiction written for pleasure without intent to make money off ideas that were not my own.

“Master Hylas,” Philia called.

“Be right out,” Harry answered.

Tonight was a special night for him and his coven, finally. Keeping his identity secret from his closest friends had hurt. He was the youngest member and traditionally, since most people at sanctuary were wizards as well, once everyone in the coven turned eleven they would go through what was called a _Binding_. The ceremony, performed on the night of the full moon, would connect each coven member through magic and oaths. It would allow them to share their true identities, their secrets and link them in a bond so strong that few could break it. The simple ceremony would allow them to do what most people at Sanctuary could not: to have friends without secrets.

In Britain the ceremony would be considered dark magic since it involved blood and magic’s that bypassed free will and such but they held no jurisdiction at Sanctuary. Being a part of a coven was an honor and a blessing here, a point of pride and a show of acceptance.

After tonight there would be no more secret names, glamors, masks, or lies of omission between him and his friends. Only freedom.

“Master Hylas,” Philia called out again.

“Coming,” he answered and he quickly finished packing the things he would need for the night into a basket before turning to a mirror to check himself once more. Tonight he was free of all his jewelry. He felt a bit naked without it. A simple chiton covered his frame and his feet were bare. His hair hung down wild and loose. It was still glamoured. During the ceremony the glamour’s they wore would fail and his mask would come off for the first time with his friends present.

With a last look through the basket he passed it to Philia knowing she would set everything up as the ceremony expected and pocketed his wand.

He made his way through Sanctuary in silence and met with Matta, Aster and Dima on the way to the bathhouse where the ritual would start. They walked in silence with only the moonlight shining on them and the sounds of the forest following them. His mind was still racing but a hand on his shoulder calmed him. With a grateful nod towards Matta, the oldest submissive, the group continued down the cobbled pathway.

In the distance it stood. Large columns framed the building and supported the domed roof. The building itself was white and made of stone with statues scattered through the surrounding gardens. The wind whispered through the trees, swaying their clothing back and forth as if to show support and all of them let out a slow breath as the great wooden doors opened to allow them entrance.

“Welcome,” Master Adelphus greeted them with his usual warmth; his eyes were filled with pride as they bowed back. Their continued silence only seemed to make the pride in his eyes grow. The walk by moonlight was meant to be in silence, for contemplation, according to the ceremony. Only when they were alone would they be allowed to speak. Adelphus simply nodded with pride and they walked through the building. It’s polished marble gleaming as the moonlight poured through the large windows in a calming glow.

Through a few corridors they continued before Adelphus pushed open a large set of double doors lined in runes. Adelphus bowed again and let them enter. The room was impressive even without the many windows that the rest of the building housed. The walls were white marble, the floors grey and all of it gleamed. Flowers stood freshly picked in vases scattered around the room and torches hung on the walls.

A large bath was in the center of the room, sunken into the floor. It was already filled with crystal clear water. Herbs specific for cleansing floated on its surface and gems charmed for the ceremony glittered from beneath the water in the moonlight from the Oculus. A long table stood between the pool and another set of doors on the other side of the room. He knew their ceremonial clothing was folded on it.

All of them drew a slow breath as Adelphus shut the door. The quiet click of the lock was the only warning they received before the air in the room seemed to thicken with strong magic, old and binding. It weighed on them and made their breathing labored as they adjusted.

“Let’s begin,” Matta said gently and with nods around the group they did. Their masks dropped to the floor followed quickly by their clothing. They were left bare to the world and each other, glowing in the moonlight. Matta walked down the steps into the pool, followed by Aster, then Dima and then Harry in order of their affinities. The water lapped at their skin.

Their glamors began to fade as well, showing their true selves. Each of them focused on Matta first since his glamors would fail first being the first one in as well as the first element the ritual.

Matta’s hair, normally a dark brown under the glamour, lightened to a crimson that waved as it fell down his back instead of lying flat. His skin, a normal bronze faded to alabaster. But it was his eyes that changed the most. Where they were once brown, warm and calm, they shined a glowing amber instead.

Aster’s hair, normally a dark brown, lightened to a shining white that fell straight to his chin. His skin, normally pale, turned ivory and his grey eyes brightened to silver. His features normally more rounded sharpened into soft angles.

Dima’s eyes, normally a dark blue brightened to match the color of the Caribbean waters they frequented and sparkled just as easily. His curly dark blond hair lightened into a sun kissed blonde and was wavy and curling around his ears.

Harry couldn’t help but smile as he felt the glamour that separated him from being himself faded. His brown hair turned pitch black and his skin paled. At once they each sunk below the surface of the bath letting the water cleanse the rest of them for the ceremony. They were silent as they used the pitchers spaced around the bath to rinse each other clean.

When their magic began to sing with the cleansing they slipped from the bath and dressed each other reverently. Their clothes were white and gossamer things, near sheer and flowed about them as if made of the very air that ruffled them.

Together they pushed open the second set of large doors and stepped into the courtyard. Paving stones created a circle in the middle of the courtyard. They gave off a pale glow in the moonlight and the runs etched into their faces were easy to see. A cauldron sat on a pedestal in the center, heated by a small flame beneath it, and on four small tables sat the things they had brought.

With a nod they went to their tables, grabbed their daggers and met around the center cauldron once more. Matta slit his palm and made a fist over the cauldron.

“I am Matta, I am Mathais Balkalov,” he said strongly. “I am Fire and I am Earth.” With a squeeze of his fist blood dripped steadily from his hand into the cauldron where a silver liquid waited. Everyone else followed his lead.

“I am Aster, I am Ernest Macmillan,” he intoned. “I am Air and I am Fire.” His blood fell into the cauldron as well.

“I am Dima, I am Demetry Perass,” he spoke. “I am Water and I am Air.”

“I am Hylas, I am Harry Potter,” Harry said. He barely kept himself from trying to see their reaction but forced down the insecurity. “I am Earth and I am Water.” The cauldron gave off a bright glow of colors, red, silver, blue and green before settling.

Matta, stirred the potion with a long and thin crystal pestle before turning to Aster. Aster, following suit pushed back his hair and Matta drew runes across his forehead. When he had finished Aster took the pestle and did the same for Dima, and Dima the same for Hylas and then Hylas drew them on Matta.

“We are coven,” Matta spoke. “Our minds are tied together in secrets, in oaths. May our coven be strong.” Everyone in turn repeated him. The runes seemed to sink into their skin and a new awareness began to stir in everyone’s mind. “We join ourselves,” Matta spoke as they each raised their dagger and slid it over their tongues. Blood welled in each of their mouths and Matta turned to Aster and they kissed, who then turned to Dima, and Dima to Hylas, and Hylas to Matta. Their tongues healed with whispered words.

“May no lies come from us, may we know each other as we know ourselves,” Matta said with a gentle voice. The magic rose around them, ruffling their hair and clothes in a gust of wind and warmth, leaves and scent.

The weight of loneliness dissipated, replaced with the weight of the coven. It was both heavy and weightless.

“Tonight when we sleep may our lives be open to each other, our fears be known, our joys, laughter, and trials.” They slipped away from the cauldron and returned with silver goblets. They drank the liquid and held each other as the magic’s began to settle. As one they turned and gathered their things and slipped away together.

Tonight they would sleep, and by morning, they would truly be connected. They didn’t bother going to their own rooms, they simply slipped into Matta’s room and crawled into bed together. Wrapped in the embrace of their coven they slept.


End file.
